For the young performance horse experts among you.

[casey2312]

Question, I have been schooling my youngster, popping him over jumps/flat work/hacking etc. Anyway, although I know my youngster is careful and bold...I wasn't sure if he had the x factor required for top level jumping.

However today, I put up a 3ft x poll, and I swear to god, the power and height he produced was shocking. I was nearly unseated. However, I popped him over a few times more to see if it was green-ness that made him overjump, and I can honestly say it wasn't. He was power jumping over and over again.

He is a clever boy, and learns quickly. Do you think he has sussed out how to use himself, or do you think he is just experimenting?

I am baffled because I have never had a youngster change so dramatically, in such a short space of time.

I would be interested in your experiences, and ideas. Thanks

 

[viola]

How exciting

I would teach him to loose jump well at home (if not done already). You could download some programs of loose jumping set ups from stallion gradings websites (they will give you distances and heights ). Once he is doing it well at 1.10m I would arrange for him to be professionaly loose jumped over serious heights.

I worked at a stud holding 100 days performance tests and some horses found themselves sooner some later, some at the very end of the test. I would think there is a chance you have a little gem

 

[TFS]

how old is your horse?? how is it bred??
we produce alot of horses, we currently have one which we feel is exceptional, the 4yr old classes are usually a metre, we grid our horses regularly and having a jumping paddock for them is great for them to get used 2jumping courses, we dont over jump our horses by any means and dont over test them either

 

[casey2312]

He has just turned 4 and is by Luidam out of a grade B mare. It has just shocked me how he has gone from ordinary lad, to super horse in under a week. I am so excited.

Thanks for the response Saphire girl, and trelawnyfarmstud.

 

[Daisychain]

Its fantastic isnt it! trust your instinct, you know when you have got a good one...

 

[StaceyTanglewood]

nice breeding so should go far !! and yes they can just realise - i would do the loose jumping it will help even more as he will be left alone (not saying you interfere) to find how best to jump !!

 

[SJ_06]

[ QUOTE ]
Its fantastic isnt it! trust your instinct, you know when you have got a good one...

[/ QUOTE ]

thats very true!

 

[wishfulthinking]

Oh sounds like a nice boy! It is lovely when they just click isn't it? I would be wary however of reverting to loose jumping now that he is jumping under saddle and starting to get the hang of it. When they loose jump the way they balance and set themselves up is so different from the way they need to with the weight of a rider. It can be counterproductive if he isn't truely established jumping correctly under saddle. I would continue to encourage correct technique and athleticism with gymnastic exercises as this will allow him to continue to think for himself without you having to influence him. Best of luck!